Words used by PM Modi unacceptable: Manmohan Singh, other Cong leaders write to Prez

New Delhi: Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh and senior Congress leader have written to the President of India asking him to caution Prime Minister Narendra Modi from using unwarranted, threatening and intimidating language against the leaders of the Congress or any other party or person.

In the letter to President Ram Nath Kovind, Congress leaders said, "It is unthinkable that in our democratic polity, the Prime Minister as head of the government would utter words which are threatening, intimidating in content and a public warning to the leaders of members of the main opposition party, the Congress."

The letter referred to Prime Minister Modi's speech during his election campaign in Karnataka on May 6, in which he had said, "Congress leaders, please listen carefully, if you cross you limits, then this is Modi. You will pay."

The letter further stated that the threat held out by PM Modi to the Congress leadership deserves to be condemned. It added, “This cannot be the language of the Prime Minister of a constitutionally governed democratic country of 1.3 billion people. Such discourse whether in public or private is unacceptable conduct.”

“The words used are menacing and intimidating with the intent to insult and provoke the breach of the peace,” the letter also said.

"We would like to state that neither the party nor our leaders will be cowed down by such threats,” said the letter signed by several Congress leaders.

The letter comes days after BJP and Congress leaders accused each other during the campaigning for the recently held Karnataka Assembly polls.